The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) granted provisional affiliations to five National federations on Thursday in order to fall in line with the Olympic Charter that stipulates voting majority for units controlling Olympic sports.
The five new federations to gain provisional affiliation for one year are that in three winter sports, ice skating, ice hockey and luge, and golf and modern pentathlon. They will have voting rights at the elections to the IOA to be held on November 25.
All except modern pentathlon were recommended by a standing committee of the IOA, but a Special General meeting that was specifically convened on Thursday to take up the affiliations was in favour of modern pentathlon also.
The exercise was carried out in order to fulfil the requirements stipulated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) before elections, but several members, who attended the meeting, were of the opinion that there was no need to rush through with the affiliations.
Conditions relaxed
The Acting President of the IOA, V. K. Malhotra said that though none of the five federations fulfilled the criteria for membership, the IOA had relaxed the conditions in order to meet the conditions laid down by the IOC.
He said they could be disaffiliated if they failed to meet the requirements. Some of them may even need to modify their constitutions.
According to sources, objections were raised at the meeting about the need to grant affiliations despite the new entrants, not fulfilling the conditions of membership laid down by the IOA. It was suggested the IOA could explain the situation to the IOC and take up the new membership after the elections.
The meeting authorised Malhotra to nominate a three-member election commission to be headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge.
